Yukon Schools Benefit from Northwestel Directory Recycling Program

by NationTalk onJune 26, 20081044 Views

News Release
06/25/2008

Students from nineteen schools in Yukon have raised close to $12,000.00 for their schools by collecting outdated Northwestel telephone directories for recycling. During the month of May, the students collected 6,648 directories as part of the company’s seventh annual Directory Recycling Program.The number of Yukon schools taking part in this year’s program was higher than ever before. Eight of the schools were from outside Whitehorse, which is also more than in any past years. In total, the nineteen schools represent a population of more than 3,300 students.

The program diverts old Northwestel directories from community landfills by having them shipped south for recycling. Participating schools are rewarded with cash contributions for school activities and programs.

“Northwestel is delighted with the commitment that Yukon students, schools and others have made to this program, year after year,” said Anne Kennedy, Northwestel Director Corporate Communications. “With the amounts raised in both Yukon and the Northwest Territories this year, Northwestel has now contributed a total of $99,350.00 to schools in both territories. It is very exciting to realize that we are very close to the $100,000.00 mark, which is certain to be surpassed next year. As well, over the life of this program, more than 73,000 directories have been collected and diverted from landfills in both territories. Everyone involved in the program can feel very proud of what they’ve accomplished.”

Northwestel publishes 42,000 Yukon and northern British Columbia directories each year, in addition to 38, 000 directories in the N.W.T., where the program is also offered.

Under a partnership arrangement, Northwestel provided the boxes for directory collection at each school, the City of Whitehorse coordinated the pickup of the directories from all Whitehorse schools, and Northwest Transport, part of the Manitoulin Group, shipped them from Whitehorse to the recycling centre in Calgary. Participating schools outside of Whitehorse brought their directories to a drop-off point in Whitehorse.

The 19 Yukon schools that participated in the 2008 Directory Recycling Program were: